The Miami Herald Editorials

Monday, April 21, 2008

Fairness at Work

A decision to allow employees of Miami-Dade County to include their domestic partners in health insurance coverage, regardless of sexual orientation, is on the verge of approval. A benefits package with this provision won committee approval last week and deserves speedy endorsement by the full County Commission.

Basically, the issue of domestic-partner status in the workplace is about equal pay for equal work, and that includes a benefits package. Government entities around the country have been adopting this idea gradually since 1984. Opponents say it could cost to much, but that's a red herring. Local entities that allow domestic-partner benefits, including Miami-Dade schools, Miami Beach and North Miami, say the move brought no appreciable added costs to them.

Today, the majority of domestic-partner plans are offered to employees without regard to gender. This is only fair. It's time for Miami-Dade County to join the move to provide benefits to all its employees.